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One of the joys of the Geneva show is that it’s anything but bland. Independent design firms large and small, tuners you’ve never heard of, energy companies, hopeful car builders looking for startup money, you name it.

Switzerland is politically neutral territory, and generally neutral from an automotive standpoint. Sure, big OEMs have the largest booths, but the Nemos are parked right next to the whales all over Geneva’s Palexpo convention facility.

Offbeat cars are different here than they are at a show like Tokyo, but no less endearing. Here’s my very personal top ten list of the cars running along the roads less travelled. Feel free to agree. Or not.

PGO Natural Gas SpeedsterA sort-of-modern-Porsche-Speedster-like machine produced by GPO in France. Its engine is in the rear, and – don’t say it out loud – water cooled. This one is powered by natural gas, and was here courtesy fuel supplier Erdgas. Look up “answer to a question that nobody asked” and you’ll find a photo of this car.

Morgan Life CarHmm. No matter your feelings about the current Morgan Aero 8, this makes that look normal. A hyper strange looking buggy, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. While is goes 100 miles on 1.8 liters of fuel, and theoretically produces zero emissions in doing so, it only produces 30 horsepower. I’d have a tough time justifying this to my friends. “Well, it may be ugly, but it sure is slow”

Magna Steyr Mila AlpineMS is a huge industrial suppler on many fronts: energy systems, engines, trucks, etc. This little buggy is an all-wheel drive hybrid with a twist: it combines natural gas and hydrogen power systems in one vehicle, a first to my knowledge. It may look a little strange, but with the wheels pushed to the corners, and very little overhand, this thing must have approach and departure angles even Jeep guys would be jealous of.

Mansory Rolls-Royce Phantom DropheadIf there is a car that doesn’t need pimping of any sort, it’s the big Rolls ragtop. Yet you knew someone would try, and that someone is German tuner Mansory. They certainly made it more expensive, but did they make it better? For some, even wretched excess isn’t enough, and you want yours to be different from that other guy at the club who has one.

Fiat 500s, large and smallThe new Fiat 500, Europe’s 2008 Car of The Year, is a masterpiece of design, drives well, and suffers from terminal cuteness. I have no issue with the car at all – wish we got it in America – but this giant display piece, which served as Fiat’s offices and meetings rooms at the show, was worth several chuckles. Love those Italians.

Mansory Mercedes–McLaren SLRMansory is the only outfit that drew two spots on this not-so-august-list. I don’t want to meet the person who would buy this car. Ever.

Bentley by ZagatoI love Zagato cars, particularly of the double-bubble variety. And I love the Bentley Continental GT. But I’m not sure they mix. To my eye, the doubly bubbly look that’s so successful on Alfas and Maseratis of the 1950s doesn’t translate to a car this large. Still, I’m pleased that there are traditional designers and coachbuilders that will still do bespoke work for really rich people.

Spyker C8 Peking-to-ParisThis sedan/SUV/design statement wasn’t new here at Geneva, but it still pegs the strange meter. Spykers are beautifully finished, well engineered, hyper expensive cars; the rebirth of a great old Dutch brand. But each is stranger, and in my opinion, uglier than the next. This one draws a lot of looks, although not all of them are admiring.

Lumeneo SmeraThe name alone ought to tell you something. It’s technically a car, as it has four wheels, and leans into corners kind of like a motorcycle. But the petite Italian broadcaster that was inside when I snapped this photo was cramped and uncomfortable, and a guy like me (5’11”, 260 pounds) wouldn’t stand a chance. By comparison, I need something large – like an Austin-Healey “Bugeye” Sprite.

ZestSpeaking of Sprites, this smiley little solar/electric car was among the cuter fare here. Not sure about that color scheme, and there’s not much side impact protection. But as something to keep on your private island, with no worries about having to ship gas over on a boat, it would be just the ticket.

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